Pensacola architect Allen Bounds turned his concern about cutting waste into a company, which recently passed the million-pound mark in recycled materials. Last year, Lifecycle Containers grew 198% and looks to see another 200% uptick this year.

The company charges for pickup at construction sites, then sorts the waste with help of 10 part-time workers. Cardboard is sold to a paperboard company, which converts it to concrete form work; asphalt is donated to county landfill recyclers who turn it back into roads; concrete can be ground into a gravel-type product.